Begampur handloom weavers celebrate Akal Vishwakarma Puja

Begampur in Hooghly district is celebrating Akal Vishwakarma (untimely Viswakarma) with great pomp and grandeur.

While Vishwakarma Puja is usually observed across the state in August, Begampur marks the occasion differently. The Vishwakarma idol here symbolises a working weaver at his handloom, depicted with two hands engaged in weaving, and riding a horse. The sound of the horse’s hooves is said to resemble the rhythmic tik-tok of the handloom at work. Traditionally, Lord Vishwakarma is portrayed with four hands and seated on an elephant.

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Surya Kanta Dutta, a member of a weaver’s family, explained: “It is our strong faith that by performing Akal Vishwakarma Puja, our handloom cottage industry receives blessings.” This year, nearly fifty theme-based puja pandals have been set up, with Chandannagar’s magical lights illuminating the pandals and surrounding areas. The immersion of the idol will take place on 31 December.

Grassroots weavers of Begampur, who once struggled to sustain their profession and safeguard the traditional craft, are now happy. This renewed optimism follows the intervention of state government-controlled handloom clusters, which are working in joint ventures with Begampur-based cooperatives.

Nabin Sen, a member of a weaver’s family, recalled: “Previously, the Begampur handloom sari business flourished. There were nearly a thousand handlooms. But due to recurring losses, low wages, and unfavourable circumstances, most weavers abandoned weaving for other work. The number of handlooms fell abruptly to just one hundred.”

The state-managed handloom clusters came to the rescue of Begampur’s cottage industry. In partnership with the Madhyapara Samabay Samity and other privately owned cooperatives, a direct link was established between clusters, cooperatives, and weavers. Through these cooperatives, clusters provided handloom sets, yarns, dyes, and other raw materials free of cost. Payments for weaving a single sari were raised from Rs 120 to between Rs 300 and Rs 500. Encouraged by fair wages, weavers began producing up to seven saris a week.

Currently, the state-managed clusters directly oversee more than 150 handlooms, while the total number in Begumpur has risen from 100 to 600. Many weavers who had abandoned their craft are returning to their traditional profession. Efforts are also underway to upgrade handlooms with advanced technology, aiming for finer quality and higher output.

Begampur handloom saris, known by popular names such as naksa, rangabati, kata naksha, and taat kata, have long adorned women not only in Bengal but across India.